ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — A man from Allegan County claims a contractor who he hired through Craigslist ripped him off.
Michael Fillmore, said he hired Joshua Tyra to install a furnace in his home on Big Lake in Hopkins.
He said Tyra came out to his home and gave great detail about how he would complete the job.
"He came on site to check on the house to see if it was a viable option," Fillmore said. "He pointed out all the locations where he would put the vents, the furnace, everything...and he was excited to start."
That's when Fillmore said his roommate signed an agreement and a check over to Tyra for $1, 480. That was on August 13. Fillmore said Tyra was expected to come back to the house a week later on the 20th, to start and complete the job.
When Tyra didn't show up, Fillmore sent him a text message. He showed FOX 17 Tyra's response, which stated he would be late.
"He said he was on his way and that was the last text I received," Fillmore said.
During the past week, Fillmore said he and his family have called Tyra, but that he's no longer answering his phone. That's when Fillmore reached out to the FOX 17 Problem Solvers.
We began digging into Tyra's past, which shows more than a decade of criminal behavior. When reading through his record we found various felonies, that include: drug charges, domestic assault and even embezzlement.
FOX 17 drove out to Tyra's home but no one answered the door. He also didn't answer his phone.
Fillmore said he took the issue to police, but that because it's a civil matter, he was told he'd have to file a claim with the courts.
When asking Fillmore why he chose to hire a contractor through Craigslist he said it all came down to trying to save money.
"But, in the end, is it worth it if you don't have the reputation?" Fillmore asked.
Tyra hadn't reached out to FOX 17 by 10:30 p.m. on Monday.
"I saw his equipment in his truck," Fillmore said. "All the tools to do the work...he seemed totally legitimate, ya know, and that's kind of how he built that trust."
